


Living changes everything

by Maryowl5599



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-04
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-06-06 11:02:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6751366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maryowl5599/pseuds/Maryowl5599
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five years after a horrible mission gone wrong things were just starting to get better. The crew was just learning to move on when something unexpected happened. When new enemies and previously thought to be dead enemies appear, the crew must fight tooth and nail to keep their family from falling apart again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything!!! (Wish i did though:)

Another routine operation, fallen flat. As both Kanan And Ezra run for the Phantom located on the outer ring of the large space station’s docking port. Another Trap, they had seemed to be running into a lot of those lately.  
Another squad of troopers came charging around the corner blocking the path. Both the Jedi came skidding to a stop, trapped between two squads. They ignited their lightsabers, something they had hoped to avoid on this particular trip. Every blaster bolt fired was sent straight back to its source. A familiar feeling enveloped Ezra, sending a shiver down his spine,  
“Kanan?” he hissed looking over his shoulder at his master.  
“I feel it too! We need to move now!!” He orders, using a telekinetic blast to shove the storm troopers against the wall. What troopers aren't knocked unconscious are sliced in two by Kanan’s Glowing blade. Ezra follows, covering Kanan’s back by deflecting the blaster bolts that the remaining troops threw at them.  
By the time they reached the airlock, Both Jedi were breathing hard. Ezra moved to the airlock control panel. A slight headache accompanied by a cold sweat plagued the padawan. Panicked by what the feeling meant, his hands shook as he punched in the Access code. The door slid open. Ezra gave a sigh of relief. His victory wa short lived as a startled choked cry sounded from his left.  
Kanan’s Lightsaber clattered to the deck as his body was lifted into the air. His hands went to his throat as he choked for air. The figure in the black suite, that they had faced on Lothal, appeared behind the Padawan’s immobilized master, With a single hand raised.  
Ezra backed up several steps spooked by the Figure with the bright red lightsaber in his grasp.  
“Ezra…” Kanan Choked out. “Go…” The boy shook his head.  
“I won’t leave you.” He swiped up His masters fallen lightsaber with the use of the force and stepped forward. “Not again” Igniting both the blades, he took up a defensive posture.  
Kanan pulled one hand from his throat and let loose a single blow of force, but not at the Sith lord. Ezra was blown backward into the Phantom and the door slamed shut behind him. A thump shook the small craft as it detached from the Station. As he drifts away, the cold feeling in his chest dissipated. Along with any trace of his master's force signature. Kanan, the man who had trained him and became his closest friend and even a father figure toward the boy, was gone.  
Another clang Shook the small ship. He pulled himself up to look out the front viewport. the Ghost had magnetically attached to the Phantom. The stars formed in to streaks as they entered hyperspace. all would have gone according to plan, only if Kanan would have been with him. 

###  
Ezra sits in the pilot seat of the Phantom. Staring at the only thing he has left to remind him of his master. The lightsaber he had nearly stolen several times from Kanan, when they first met. Silent tears soaked the boy's cheeks as he watched the stars streak by. In the hour the two ships had been in hyperspace, Ezra had been meditating. Trying to find any sign of Kanan, but none had presented itself. After about forty minutes, which had felt like an eternity to the master less Padawan, he had given up and had fallen into the pilot seat. losing all the adrenalin the boy had been running on he fell in into a fitful sleep, with images from the terrible mission he had just been on running threw his nightmares.  
“Ezra? Come on kid wake up!” The light tap on his scarred cheek was enough to rouse the boy from his sleep. He did not open his eyes and recap what had happened. For a few more seconds Ezra reached threw the force searching hopelessly for Kanan. Nothing- Again. He opened his eyes to see Hera staring down at him, her eyes worried and helpless. “There we go.” Ezra sits up slowly. hopping it had all been a bad dream, that Kanan would be there to tell him that he had gotten stunned during deflection practice. Or hurt in a firefight. No such luck. Hera lowered herself to his line of sight, fear coursing through her green eyes. “Ezra? What happened?” her voice was quite. The Question made tears come to his eyes and the boy reached out embracing the Twi’lek and let out silent sobs into her chest. This shocked Hera and she looked to the others.  
“I let him down. I let you all down.” he sobbed into her shoulder his voice Cracked in the second sentence. “The sith lord…. He came out of nowhere… We were back at the airlock and I was trying to get the door open and-” he paused for a moment staring at the others “He pulled him away… Kanan told me to run...to-to take the ship and go.” he choked up finishing the sentence with a squeak. “I was going to fight but- But Kanan pushed me into the ship, before I could do anything, you guys had already scooped me up and gone into hyperspace.”  
Zeb was the first to respond “We need to go back!” Ezra shook his head.  
“He’s gone, Zeb. his force signature disappeared right after the phantom disengaged from the station. He was just….” The boy sniffled a little as he leaned against the pilot. “Gone.”

###

 

After leaving the med bay on the command ship, Ezra headed straight for his cabin on the Ghost. Where he stayed for at least a week No one stopped to bother him, not even Zeb had come in to take his daily afternoon nap, only at night did the Lasat take up the bunk bellow Ezra’s. Finally Ezra passed through the door and headed to the cockpit. Hera was underneath the copilots console working on something. Ezra assumed she was trying to keep her mind busy. Everyone grieves in their own way I suppose Ezra thought to himself as he sat down in the seat behind her.  
“Hi Hera.” The green skinned woman pulled herself out from under the mess of wires and looked up at him. He could tell she had been crying. The whites of her eyes were red and her cheeks were puffy but she made no attempt to hide it as she sat down in the pilot's seat. Ezra pulled his feet up to rest his heels on the front if the chair and crossed his arms over his knees. Tears once again threatened to spill and he let them, so did she. “How did things go so wrong so quickly!” he squawked. Hera stood and gingerly wrapped the boy in a hug. They sat there for what felt like an undesirable amount of time. But it wasn't long before Sabine, Chopper, and Zeb entered the cockpit all finding room to stand or sit. no one said a word for what felt like hours. Ezra sat staring at the lightsaber in his hand when Hera finally said something.  
“Ezra?” He lifted his head to look at the pilot. “Ahsoka Said she wanted to see you when you were ready.” He nodded and glanced around the silent room. Sabine was sitting behind him staring at her hands in her lap, With tear soaked cheeks, and Zeb had his head resting in his three fingered palms. His ears pointed backward flat against the lasats temples. And chopper was at the back of the room chattering to himself quietly as he always did when he was upset. Hera patted Ezra on the shoulder and sat back down in her chair, staring out at the stars.  
The boy stood and reattached his lost master's lightsaber to his utility belt. Exiting the cockpit, he slowly but surely made his way to the airlock and into the command ship. Finding Commander Tano’s cabin wasn't hard. Getting up the courage to knock on the Jedi’s door was the hard part but he did so any way. Only several second after Ahsoka appeared behind the door.  
“You asked to see me Commander Tano?” he asked in a quiet tone of voice and she nodded her head.  
“Please come in Ezra. And you can call me Ahsoka.” She gestured for the young Jedi to sit. Ezra did as he was asked and took a seat across from her at the small table in the corner of her quarters. “I know this has been a hard week for you Ezra. Losing a master can be an extremely hard thing in one's life and can take a great toll on their training.” She pauses for a moment as if deciding what to say. Her expression changed to sadness. “I regret to tell you, I have not been entirely truth full with you or the rest of the Ghost’s crew.” This caught Ezra’s attention and he looked up at the Togruta. “I told you I lost my master during order 66. But the truth is he lead the attack on the Jedi temple. He was seduced by the dark side of the force and he was defeated by his own master. I thought him dead for fifteen years. Until Kanan and I, reached out with the force. The Sith lord who killed your master was Originally Anakin Skywalker, My master.” As the words registered in Ezra’s mind a look of shock creeped across the young human's face. “The point is. I was left at eighteen years old without a master and I wasn't ready to fight alone. And Kanan was even younger. Your master came to me a few weeks after we first met and asked me if anything were to happen to him, if I would train you.” The boy looked up at her in surprise. It had always seemed like Ezra was just another burden that Kanan carried on his shoulders. but now, only after his master was gone could he see that his master truly did care for him. It was a comforting thought to know that Kanan was still looking out for him. In fact several hours earlier he had thought about sneaking off the Ghost the next time they had happened to land on Lothal. All thoughts of leaving vanished from Ezra’s mind.  
“Really!” It was the only thing he could think to say at the moment, with Ahsoka’s eyes staring at him expectantly. He bit his lip as he watched her nod. “Thank you. But I don't want to be a burden. With Kanan I always felt like I was just another thing to protect. I don't want to do that to you.” he whispered, dropping his head to look down at his folded hands.  
“That's just about how I felt when I was first apprenticed to Master Skywalker.” She says leaning across the table to place a hand on the boys drooping shoulder. “In time you won't feel that way. You will be fully capable of defending not only yourself but the rest of your crew as well. Kanan was proud of what you had accomplished. You are a quick learner Ezra and if you are willing I will teach you.” Her voice was gentle and calming, something that his old master always seem to lack. He was comfortable around the Togruta, she was kind, compassionate and strong.  
Ezra nodded “Alright.”  
She smiled reassuringly and patted him on the shoulder. “We will start when you're ready. But for now, go rest. You look like you need it.” Ezra got up to leave. reaching the door he looked back at the Jedi.  
“Thank you-” he stopped for a second. “Master.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the confusion but this story takes place before the forgotten droid. its an AU (Obviously) I couldn't leave Ahsoka out, i love her to much...

5 years after the death of Kanan Jarrus  
Empire day

Ezra sat meditating in his cabin on the ghost. Numerous objects floated around the room. Anyone who did not know that Ezra was a Jedi padawan, would think that the gravity generators where off in that section of the freighter. He could barely focus his mind on anything other than bad memories. Today just wasn't a great day. Empire day never was. It reminded him of all the things he had lost. His mind kept flashing back to his parents, and to His long dead Jedi master. He hardly thought about these things any more, specifically because they harmed his performance in- well everything.   
Ahsoka had told him not to dwell on the past but look toward the future. something that had been hard for him during the first year of training with Ahsoka, but eventually it became instinct to keep the people who cared about him at a good distance, so that if anything ever happened to them, he would not get hurt as bad as he did when Kanan died. He even Kept Sabine at arm’s length after she had warmed up to him enough to be a great friend.  
A knock at the door did not so much as make him twitch. Keeping his eyes closed he reached out with the force, finding the young Mandalorian’s signature outside. 

“Come in Sabine.” The door slid open and the painter made her way into the small room. She paused for a moment, marveling at the objects drifting about the room, then to the pieces of the lightsaber floating in front of her friend. “Give me a second.” The parts organized themselves neatly and slid together in their proper place. The lightsaber lowered gently to the ground along with all the other objects in the room and Ezra opened his eyes.

“What were you doing to it?” Ezra picked up the light saber that once belong to Kanan.

“Like blasters, Lightsabers have to be maintained too. I was replacing the focusing lens, it was cracked. The blade kept changing pitch and was wider than usual.” She nods and smiles. “What did you need Sabine?” he asks putting the light saber back with his other one in the drawer with the Jedi holocron, and turned to look at his friend. Sabine held a small package out to the young Jedi. He smiled and took it from her hands.

“Happy birthday, Ezra. I figured you could use something to brighten your day.” Ezra slid the top off the box. A light glistened through the room as the lid came off. “I found it after I left the imperial academy on Mandalore. I didn't know what it was at the time until; Ahsoka found it in my stuff when she was helping me pack to move on to the command ship. She told me it was a lightsaber crystal. I thought maybe you could use it.” Ezra smiled and turned back to the drawer pulling out the blaster/saber hybrid. The crystal to it had been damage in a fight with the Seventh Sister a few years back and he didn't have the heart to take the crystal out of Kanan’s old lightsaber, so he had just used it instead.  
Another object in the drawer caught Sabine’s attention. Another lightsaber hilt aside from the two others the padawan owned. “You kept this thing?” she asked picking up the twin bladed inquisitor saber. “I thought you got rid of it?” he turned and took the hilt from her, his eyes scanned the Sith weapon and he placed it gently back in the drawer.

“I said I got rid of the crystals, not the thing itself. Besides when have you ever known me for getting rid of cool things? Maybe one of these days I’ll learn how to use a double blade.” Ezra’s cocky trademark grin lit up his face. To Sabine it seemed like the only thing that remained the same about him over the years except for the brown sleeveless jacket, which miraculously seemed to still fit him.  
Ezra lowered himself on to the floor and place his light saber on the ground. With his legs crossed he closed his eyes.

“I guess I'll go. I don't want to distract you.” she said, making for the door. Ezra stopped her with his calm voice.

“You’re Fine. Infect you might be interested in watching.” his eyes open for the briefest second as he looked at her. To her it felt like he was looking into her soul. He always seemed to know exactly what she was thinking, but for all she knew, he did. To her Ezra had always been a slight mystery, almost as much as this so called force, but that she had seen before he came. He was even more mysterious now than he had ever been, He was quiet and closed off, and kept the rest of the crew outside, what seemed like a personal boundary. Whereas before he would flirt with her, fight with Zeb and Chopper and even go as far as disobeying a direct order from Hera or Kanan. Now he was different, he barely spoke to her anymore and when he did it was barely in a friendly manner.  
Sabine sat down in front of him and watched as the Jedi’s weapon began to levitate. One piece at a time, no matter how small, separated itself from the hilt, guided by Ezra’s focused mind. She kept quiet, as he worked not wanting to distract from his concentration. She was in awe at the complex work of art she saw before her. Everything she saw had a purpose, no matter how insignificant the role it played. Near the center of the neatly organized cloud of parts, she could tell something was missing, that was when Ezra lifted his hand and placed the glowing crystal. Using the force he guided it all back together and pulled it from the air.

He stood and she followed. She giggled with excitement. “That was Amazing, Ezra.” He smiled and he looked down at her. He held the hilt out to her.

“You found the crystal. Would you like to do the honors?” She reached out her hand and he placed it in hers. It was heavier than she expected and it somehow-, seemed alive. She assumed the slight vibration in the metal was the crystal, but she wasn't sure. It gave it an almost organic feel. She looked up at Ezra who nodded and smiled. She held the hilt out a few feet from her and toggled the button next to her finger. The blade sprang up, but it wasn't the light blue she had come to know and see flashing in every battle. It was bright yellow. Burning as bright as the sun of Lothal. Ezra seemed to catch the glint of wonder in her eye as she stared at the blade, but he was mesmerized as well. Yellow kyber crystals were uncommon in comparison with the blue one that had been in its place two years ago. He sighed and took it from her. The blade retracted into the housing and he placed it back in the drawer. “Thank you Sabine, It will be nice to use two lightsabers again and the yellow is a welcome change.” His smile warmed her heart. 

“I’m glad you like it. Oh hey I’ve been meaning to tell you. Congratulations on the promotion. Commander Bridger. It has a nice ring to it.” She said right before moving for the door.

“Thanks Sabine. Before you go? How much longer will you be stationed on the command ship? It's been months since I last saw you and we all miss you.”

“At least three more weeks, After that I’m going to request that Hera, reassign me back to the Ghost crew.” She sighs and turns back toward him. “Truth is Ezra, I miss the old days, When it was just you, me, Zeb, Chopper, Hera and-.” She pauses for a moment and looks down at her hands folded in front of her. “And Kanan.” Ezra frowned, sure he thought about Kanan a lot, but his name was rarely ever said. Sabine saw the sad look on her friends face and moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around the now taller Ezra, she hugged him. He returned the embrace, but quickly backed away, almost flinching. “You ok, Ezra?” she asked pulling away from him for fear that she had hurt him. She backed up. “I should go.” she made for the door.

“Thanks for the crystal and for the visit.” She nods and leaves him to his thoughts. Ezra sat down on his bunk and rubbed his side. Shaking his head, he moved to sit back down on the floor to meditate.

 

###  
Zeb spun right leaving his other side exposed; Ezra immediately noticed and swung his shock baton at the Lasat’s open side. Zeb let out a pained growl as Ezra’s practice weapon met his exposed skin. The Jedi spun and aimed one last strike toward his assailant’s ankles, knocking him to the ground. Zeb couldn't help but laugh as he reached to retrieve his extended bo-rifle.

“I never thought I would see the day when you could beat me, you little Loth Cat.” Zeb said between chuckles and ruffled the shorter beings hair. It had taken nearly four years before Zeb had stopped calling him a Rat. It had happened when Ezra had reached threw the force to make several Loth Cats attack a band of storm troopers when he was disarmed and pretending to surrender. Ever Since then he had been the Cat. Zeb’s pointed ears perked up at the sound of clapping coming from the ramp of the Ghost.  
Hera stood at the base of the ramp smiling at the two of them. Ezra shut off the electro staff and leaned it against the cargo boxes.

“I think I’m done for today Zeb. Thanks for the dual.” He said smiling. Ezra raised a hand in salute to Hera. “Good afternoon captain.”

“Commander.” She smiled as Ezra sat down on the ramp. She joined him. “Happy birthday, my boy.” Her smile faltered as he looked down with a tearful glint in his eyes. “You know your parents would be so proud of you, so would he. I know I am. You have become someone you always thought you couldn't be. You are a Jedi, Ezra.” Her enthusiasm seemed to seep into the young man and his face lit up again. He was no child any more but every now and then she still caught the childish look in his expression. Even in his voice, like when he use to taunt Zeb or chase Chopper threw her ship. She felt like a mother. Probably the closest person he had to one after his died all those years ago.  
The boy she once knew grew up. Now taller than her and wiser than he had once been, but there would always be some part of him that she believed he would never have back, that part of him that disappeared after that fate wrenching mission that nearly tore her crew apart.

Both Ezra and Hera looked up as the voice of Ahsoka interrupted their thoughts “Ezra, Hera, Zeb. We need you in the command bridge. Commander Sato has called an emergency meeting. The three of them instantly stood and walked side by side with the Grey Jedi.

“What’s going on, Ahsoka?” Hera asked but the Togruta shook her head.

“I don't know. I was told to retrieve you. We will learn more when we get there.” It was only a short walk to the command ship. Inside there were many officers gathered in the small briefing room. Commander Sato stood at the head of it all. 

“You are probably all wondering what you are doing here, so I will get straight to the point. Thirty minutes ago we received a report from one of our spies on the inside of Imperial territory. He gave us information about a, supposedly extremely important prisoner that is being transferred from an unknown prison to Coruscant. He has informed us that this prisoner has sensitive information that could greatly affect the alliance. We must not take the risk of them braking under interrogation.” he paused for a moment looking around the room. “We have received the route of which they are taking and are due to depart in four days. Phoenix Squadron leader will be in full control of this operation. Captain Syndulla, your objective is to bring back the prisoner or destroy the vessel that is transporting him. I have assigned three of the newest blade wings to your squad. Be ready by tomorrow morning. This briefing is dismissed.” quick and to the point, that was one of the few things Ezra liked about Commander Sato. A small tap on Ezra’s shoulder prompted him to turn. Sabine was standing there.

“Twice in one day. That's gotta be this year’s record.” He hadn't seen her earlier while Sato was talking but then again, the commander did not give him much time to gawk. “I’ve been reassigned to the Ghost.” Ezra smiled and patted her on the shoulder. Before he could make any smart ass comments Hera’s voice was beckoning to them. 

###  
“This didn't give us much time to come up with a plan. Are you sure this will work, Ezra?” He waved his hand dismissively. Hera shook her head and sighed. The youth seemed to have a way with strategy, but somehow she knew this plan would go awry. She looked up and caught him looking at her. He seemed distracted. “I’m going to prep the Ghost, and Ezra, I would like to talk to you for a moment.” She said gesturing to the entrance to the cockpit. He nodded and followed the Twi'lek into the small room. “Are you alright? Because we need you at your best for this mission.” He shook his head and plopped down in the copilot’s seat, across from her as she began the engine fire up sequence. Ezra just sat there for a moment with his mouth open as if he couldn't speak. Finally he made up his mind and began.

“Hera. I think i had a vision last night. It was vague, but all I could feel was pain.” Shock registered on the pilot's face. “But it wasn't mine. It was almost like, what you could imagine a ghost feeling like. Like I-, or this person wasn't all there.” He shook his head. “Hera, Tarkin was there.” He put a hand to his forehead and leaned forward, like he was fighting off a headache.  
“Are you sure you can do this?” He nodded and looked at her a slight glint in his vibrant blue eyes.

“I need to go Hera. I feel like something… Or someone is calling to me. I don't expect you to understand, but I have to do this. I stayed up late last night after the vision and I think I have all the kinks in the plan worked out.” The concern in her eyes caught him.

“You should have slept. You need the energy.” She mentally kicked herself after saying that. She knew Ezra could never sleep after he had a vision, especially after one of that caliber. She wouldn't pretend to know what it was like, but she knew him well enough to know when something really bothered him. “Sorry.”

“It’s alright. You are right. I should have tried to sleep.” He gave her an earnest smile and stood. “I'm going to go prep The Blade wing.” He said making his way out of the cockpit with a wave. Hera hoped he would be alright. She had full confidence in both his skills as a pilot and with his sabers, but he still had a tendency to interpret his visions wrong and relied on them just a tad too much. She finished preparing her ship and took off. She would rendezvous with the small attack fleet that had been assigned to her and would also pick up a new copilot. Commander Sato had insisted she stop flying cabin solo, ever since Ezra had taken on bigger responsibilities as a Phoenix squadron pilot.

**Author's Note:**

> I know this first chapter is short and rather bleak but stick with it, I promise it will get better.


End file.
